Last December we reported how Swimming Western Australia, home to 85 swim clubs and over 10,500 members, had awarded its third High Performance Training Center (HPTC) designation to co-hosts Aqua Jetty in Rockingham and Cockburn Aquatic Recreation Center (ARC). Western Australian Swimming Association, Inc., Western Australia Institute of Sport and Swimming Australia Limited (SAL) announced the new HPTC location, dubbed ‘South HPTC; as a means to develop regional athletes and engage them in the pathway towards Tokyo 2020 and beyond.
Will Scott has been appointed as Head Coach of the South HPTC. Already the coach at Rockingham, home to national-caliber athletes Tommy Sucipto and Holly Barratt, the leader accepts the new role as simply a broadening of scope from what he already does today.
“The day-to-day coaching would stay the same, it’s still an elite group of athletes, but we have the ability to mentor and upskill a larger region,” Scott told The West Australian.
“Given the number of people that are there, there’s no reason why people shouldn’t be representing Australia. The talent will be there wherever we go, it’s identifying that talent and making sure they do well.
“Those people who want to succeed do the things they need to do to succeed. Hard work and application through world-class facilities and staff that WAIS has gives you results. It just needs to be done now.”
Western Australia was represented by one Paralympic swimmer, as well as three Olympic swimmers in Rio de Janeiro this summer, including the youngest member of the Aussie contingency, Tamsin Cook. Cook earned a silver medal as a member of the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay. The purpose of opening another HPTC is to keep rising stars like Cook from leaving WA for greener pastures in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane.